Lee looks at stricter checks of taxi drivers; rules already in place elsewhere

FORT MYERS - A proposal in Lee County would require taxi drivers to face background checks and display photo identification.

The last thing travelers want to worry about is whether the taxi driver taking them to the airport has a habit of burgling houses.

So cab companies are expressing support for a proposal in Lee County to require drivers to face background checks and display photo identification.

"The industry is dealing with clients and customers of all ages and backgrounds and we want them to feel comfortable that the people (drivers) aren't criminals or a danger to our customers," said Bruno Cyr, division manager for Checker and Metro Cab, which has 40 cars in Lee and Collier counties.

The proposal is making its way through Lee County government. The county has considered tightening restrictions several times over the years, but has shied away from the administrative burden.

The cities of Fort Myers and Cape Coral, as well as Collier County, all have more restrictive ordinances on the books requiring at the minimum that drivers' backgrounds are checked for criminal activity.

Though Lee County government is more lax, some cab companies require background checks of new hires anyway. Often they are a requirement to get insurance.

The cities of Fort Myers and Cape Coral, as well as Collier County, all have more restrictive ordinances on the books requiring at the minimum that taxi drivers' backgrounds are checked for criminal activity.

Cyr requires his Lee County drivers to be permitted through the city of Fort Myers so that they face the background scrutiny. He also requires that they post their credentials in the car.

The plan also has support from Chris Specht, owner of Amber Taxi in Lee County, but he said any new requirements also should be implemented with common sense.

"There are people that may have a spotted past but they are trying to rebuild their lives ... they might have had a drug problem and maybe they've gone through drug court," he said.

Exceptions could be made for people who have proven themselves trustworthy.

He also said the background checks should be done quickly, such as through online programs that return results in a day rather than using processes that can take several weeks and create a business hardship.

Background checks have been required in Collier County for many years, said Jamie French, operations director for the county's growth management division. The Collier license allows them to operate in Naples and Marco Island, so no separate background checks are required for those cities.

The program remained intact even after 2009 when county government revamped its vehicle for hire ordinance, streamlining the permitting process and even removing steps the county felt were costly and unnecessary.

For instance, the county previously checked an applicant's credit. But French said the county since has realized many people can face difficult financial times yet still be responsible workers. The background checks still are an important part of the process.

"We don't want to regulate their business but we want to ensure it's a safe environment for people to use and to ensure a balanced playing field (for cab companies)," said Libby Walker, Lee County's public resources director.

"It wasn't to do anything more than protect the public," he said, "to make sure the people behind the wheel of those cabs are not convicted felons."

The city of Naples doesn't have its own vehicle-for-hire ordinance. It defers to the county's regulations.